MICHIGAN GHOST TOWN: The Town That Didn’t Get a Chance to Exist

The hoped-for town of Vaughn got off to a slow start...and from there just kinda pooped out. 'Vaughn' was located in Alcona County and is long gone. Some Michigan historians call it a "ghost town", even though it wasn't really a town.

The name of 'Vaughn' seems to have been the name of the railroad & postal service that was constructed along the Detroit & Mackinac Railway in 1889. These services were used by an unincorporated community in Curtis Township and the depot was eventually re-named "Glennie Station". A post office was established that same year with Ella Deacon as first postmaster (followed by J.H. Haynes in 1905 and C.H. Anderson in 1912).

With the community now known as "Glennie Station", local officials shortened it to simply "Glennie" in 1894.....and the name of 'Vaughn' became just a footnote. Any historical remembrance that Vaughn even slightly existed can be found a mile and a half south of Glennie, at Vaughn Lake, which, to this day, is a popular fishing spot.

The town of Glennie eventually had a bank, drug store, elevator, general store, hotel, livery stable and sawmill among other businesses.....and of course, once the railroad ceased, many incomes suffered and town residency dwindled. Today, Glennie still stands with some cool old buildings to see and photograph with a nice handful of people & businesses still there (SEE PHOTOS BELOW).

Glennie is located at the junction of Bamfield/Glennie and S. State Roads, 28 miles northwest of Oscoda and 57 miles east of Grayling.

Drive-thru this year on your Michigan roadtrip and stop for a bite to eat!